46 tracks by Norm

Just another obscure saint. Not much known about him. Probably much more important and significant than any of us will ever realize.
Oh, yeah, and then there is Saint Simon. Same thing for him.
RIP Alex.
3 Congas, Vintage Bass Cocktail…read more

The chorus of this groove is in 5/4 and the verse in 9/4. You can hear me fall apart at the very end… guess I got worried.
Lyrics:
*Try not to get worried*
*I am with you always*
*Try not to get worried*
*And don’t forget*
*Simply…read more

This is one stereo track of 6 conga drums tuned, by ear, to roughly a chromatic scale (I don't know which one - perhaps I've gone micro-tonal!) coupled with a single track of ad-lib quinto (the high drum) and a "shuffle" groove on trap-set…read more

This is a “cross-over” pattern. Cross-over patterns are a type of enharmonic polymeter, where 2 rhythms with different numbers of beats/measure are played at the same tempo: the measures do not line up each time. These rhythms have measures…read more

For this Mother's Day week, a conga improvisation dedicated to Saint Monica and all the other mothers who surreptitiously provide for and incessantly pray for their children. Thanks Mom!
** this could really use a tasty melody to go with…read more

A 7/8 improvisation on a set of 3 Bata drums, accented with afucha, tube shekere and cowbell.
The number 7 is a symbol for perfection or completeness: 7 colors in a rainbow, 7 musical notes in a scale, 7 days = a week, etc.
In Cuba, the…read more

Long drum solos aren't for everyone - I get it. Just do what many at Grateful Dead concerts did and look at it as an opportunity to go get another beer. On the other hand, if you are the sort of person who cheers at the fireworks show, I hope…read more

*Pilón* reveals a Cuban pattern, traditionally played on Timbales, but in this case on Jr. Congas & Congas (with gated reverberation and flanger effect). The rhythm of Pilón is based on the motions of pounding sugar cane.
A new son reveals…read more

Merengues are fast arrangements with a 2/4 beat, originating from the Dominican Republic. The traditional instrumentation includes a "güira" (guiro), which is a percussion instrument that sounds like a scrapper. The Merengue güira is a cylinder…read more

There are 3 styles of the Rumba Guáguánco pattern: this one originates from the Cuban province of Matanzas (to the east of Havana).
“Rumba” is a Spanish term for a gathering of musicians, singers & dancers (what West Africans refer to…read more

The berimbau is a Brazilian instrument associated with Capoeira, which is a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music. It was created in Brazil mainly by descendants of African slaves with Brazilian native…read more

The island of Cuba was a Spanish possession for almost 400 years (1511-1898). The land-owning elite held social and economic power, supported by slaves, both indigenous and of South American and African descent, until slavery was abolished…read more

Ilesa is a city located in the south west of Nigeria. This is a traditional rhythm pattern of the same name - but I'm not sure of the significance of the name.
I played on 3 congas, accented with bell clave, block and cowbell, of course…read more

Here's proof. Proof that things are a bit mysterious in my studio.
Late last night my Bass Cajon all of a sudden decided to start accompanying me on its own - without me touching it. At first I thought that some apparitional bass player had…read more

At a recent charity event held in my small town's train museum, I was admiring a massive brass train bell when the curator walked up to me. I commented that a bell would really rather be heard then seen, and he agreed. I offered to digitally record…read more

This spooky track utilizes the "Paulstretch" program to stretch recordings of gongs, chimes and bells to 8.04 times their native length: no other effects were made to these acoustic recordings other than to stretch them. The gongs utilized are…read more

A single track of improvised chromatically tuned congas in 7/8, accented with clave, guiro, cajon and quinto.
(For those who may be interested in collaborating on this, the triplet phrasing of this groove may be most easily counted like this…read more

This traditional Cuban rhythm is the well established "go-to" pattern for 4/4 songs. It is perhaps the most commonly heard conga pattern in 4/4 music. The bongo pattern that accompanies the congas is referred to as "martillo" (the hammer…read more

Faith is assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
When Faith goes to the market, it always takes a basket.
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith and the beginning of faith is the end of anxiety. [George Mueller…read more

"High Life" is a musical genre that originated in Ghana in the 1900s and spread to Sierra Leone, Nigeria and other West African countries by 1920. My friends from that part of the world consider this be the "go-to" rhythm for just about anything…read more

"Afoxe" is a rhythm played by carnival groups from Bahia in Northeastern Brazil. It is named after an instrument that is traditionally used to play this pattern: an afoxe is a beaded gourd; aka "shekere". In this rendition, I replaced the shaker…read more

A 3 track improvisation on 7 congas roughly tuned by ear to a chromatic scale.
LYRICS:
I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne…read more

As I had nothing better to do last night, I had this great idea that I would construct a rhythm for the 24 hour challenge. This would be different: a 24 minute drum solo (I mean, who wouldn't love that?). I even had a perfect bass riff: the "Mother…read more

As chance had it, I found myself in an acoustically great room, full of cajons! Well, they were unfinished cabinets actually, but they had lovely tones. Since this is the stuff dreams are made of, I had no choice but to seize the opportunity and…read more

Abakua refers to a secret, Afro-Cuban, male society of percussionists - as I understand it, one had to be initiated into this society before they would be taught how to play percussion in their style. One of their hallmarks is to impose what I…read more

Rumba Columbia is a traditional Cuban pattern in 6: the "go-to" pattern for 12/8 - if you have only heard one Afro-Cuban rhythm in 12/8, this is probably it. As an energetic Afro-Cuban dance, Rumba was often suppressed and restricted because it…read more

This is a 3/16 Bembe on tuned congas, played with mallets. I've arranged it (at the very kind suggestion of Vaisvil & ReefWalker) in a verse/chorus/bridge/capo fashion to get away from a straight pattern - I think this sort of arrangement…read more

Improvisation on congas and very fragile, clay Moroccan bongos (which my brother found for me from an African display at some zoo!). These bongos are basically clay pots with permanent, very thin goat skins stretched over the top - they can not…read more

Perhaps you could use a little fatherly advice? Well here it is!
Chording improvisation on 7 different conga drums tuned to an octave and set to 3-2 rumba clave.
LYRICS
Lookie here hot-shot: a silent fool is half a wise-man
And there…read more

Improvisation on Gon-Bops congas, while thinking of future days gone by.
4/4 180bpm.
LYRICS
A cool wind brings the fall
And the season starts to change.
Outside the sky's steel grey.
Inside my heart is too.
And I don't know how to…read more

Juz Alex

2 tracks by Norm

Caveat emptor: I did absolutely none of the drumming in this piece.
WORLD PREMIER! FIRST RECORDING OF THIS PATTERN - EVER!
My friend Kokou "Alex" Yemey called me a few days ago with some urgency in his voice: "I must record this before…read more

Caveat emptor: I did absolutely none of the drumming in this piece.
ANOTHER WORLD PREMIER! FIRST RECORDING OF THIS PATTERN - EVER!
My friend Kokou "Alex" Yemey delighted me with another visit this evening. He played "Aju" - all 5 tracks…read more

94 tracks by various alonetone artists

It was a curious and wondrous thing.
One night I was in my studio adding some percussion to the "Quiet Rituals" track by Barry van Oudtshoorn, when my 4 young children (with whom I was long over-due to be tucking into bed and reading a bed…read more

Recording some match lighting samples recently and felt compelled to put some music to it.
I put the mic up to some raw acoustic guitar. Bass and lead added with FX. Norm added percussion, making it sound waaaay better.
Contributors:
lyrics…

I was collecting 4th of July samples and recorded a jewel. By chance, I recorded my 4 year old girl, and you can hear her thought process...wondering how the fireworks were so high in the air - perhaps the fireworks were dropping from the sky…

Ok, so I'm just a percussionist, and if your only tool is a hammer, the entire world looks like a nail. I get it. And I also get that our songs are our children, so we should be very careful about whom we let them play with.
When I first heard…read more

for my ex....
Norm Harris performs the excellent percussion
Down by the riverside
Where all of the fish had died
I threw my faith right in
When I saw it, it was sinking
Oh don't you go
Don't you even dare
Don't run away until you…read more

Enjoying a few tracks on this site with Indian flavor lately. My brothers legs were so red from slapping them to get the perc sounds in this track, I had to laugh, That alone was worth doing the song ;)
Enjoy # 92
Spicy percussion provided by Norm

CROSS-OVER POLYRHYTHMS
This is actually a type of enharmonic polymeter, where 2 rhythms with **different meters** (i.e., a different numbers of beats/measure) are played at the **same tempo**: the measures do not line up each time. These rhythms…read more

You're just kidding yourself if you thought I could resist the chance to add a bit of percussion to this wonderful song by Osckilo & Launched. I used Paiste Sound Discs to create a 3vs.4 polyrhythm against the delightful underlying 4/4 Spanish…read more

This is a piece Norm and I collaborated on last year. We hope you will enjoy it.
two improvised 12 string guitar lines
bass line ( I took a few takes)
improvised piano
Norm's percussion in Tumbao rhythm

This is the first song I uploaded to share on the internet when I first donned the name Alpha_Alpha. Thanks to fellow 'lonetoners and SoOn friends Norm and Vaisvil for contributing to make this song really special!

Having fun this week at my own expense, not my genre but what the heck. I used all the kids that were playing at my house on Monday for the chorus - had a blast.
Collaborators: my kids Dylan, Zack, Ally with Jake Henning , Haley Henning
I…read more

Life is a quest for knowledge and a simple realization that not only is there so much we don't know but to declare it somehow is empowering. A great collaboration with Norm who is an amazing percussionist and a super cool guy! Thanks for the…

While I'm certain there are those who may be growing weary of scratching, I couldn't resist posting this great mix by Alister Flint, who is truly a master mixologist extraordinaire - he didn't even have individual tracks to work with! Al was too…read more

This is a microtonal Jazz-ish piece produced with some newly developed techniques.
Norm Harris provides the excellent percussion. I probably could have made it easier on myself by not being so chromaticâ€¦ but there it is.
The piano, bass…read more

I had some lyrics describing a late nite cake baking experience kicking around. If I have a lot on my mind, dirtying every dish in the house seems like the right thing to do.
I stole some cool percussion from Norm and went to work. I also…read more

A second version with the initial lead guitar standing alone...a little cluttered after a few listens and some constructive feedback!
Norm's Groove for St Monica inspired this one. Thanks Norm!
Lead Guitar, bass guitar and acoustic guitar…read more

I picked up on one of Norm's wonderful grooves.
I added some bass, guitar, horns, and a basic drum track. Kicker and snare with a few cymbols. I didn't want to walk on Norm's fine, fine, percussion.
Thanks Norm for allowing me the opportunity…read more

This is a smooth jazz piece built around Norm Harris' percussion using Garritan Jazz and Big Band sample set with the Aria player and a touch of tonehammer's Francesca sample set. Something Norm and I did last April.
Scored for upright bass…read more

Well, I had this crazy idea that *maybe* Buddy Guy was using some microtonal inflections in his cover of Tramp (which are what the "blue notes" are and thought it would be cool to cover it with my fretless guitar. As it turned out it was my ear…read more

drip by drip..
I did the guitar and bass tracks first, then procured my 10 year olds cello for the main bass line :) I also tried my luck playing cello with a bow on this track- which was a new experience.
The trumpet and violin bits are played…read more

Guitar/Vocals: Liam Sanders
Percussion: Norm
A song I wrote about feeling undervalued, with percussion from the wonderful Norm.
Lyrics:
I should be more than a Sunday afternoon watching awful films.
I should be more than the shirt you…read more

I resorted to some unmarked old CDRs in the car today on my way to and from my Dad's (I brought him a new laptop) and found one of the earlier collaborations between Norm and myself.
This is dedicated to the families who have (and still…read more

This is a rough mix of a track I did with the one & only Norm Harris. I've got some vocals in mind, but it may take some time to put it together, so meanwhile here's the instrumental version. Big thanks & major props to Norm…read more

In Argentina they say "in Argentina everything may change - except the tango", but I couldn't resist adding some percussion to this beautiful nuevo tango by Vincent Voois, composed in the style of Astor Pantaleon Piazzolla.
Check out Vincent…read more

Out on the lawn there arose such a clatter!
Sometimes, as they say, Christmas do come early. I found Johnny Stone's "Christmas Rock In Oz" under the tree and couldn't wait until Yuletide to unwrap it. What a rockin' gift! I know a bit about…read more

I asked CaptGene for something funky, trusting that a fishing guide from Babsom Park would know exactly what I was talking about. He did. The Captain knows funk.
I used to have a link to his original version here, but that is no longer available…read more

In the time honored tradition of setting Bible text to music Norm Harris reads a passage from Exodus, King James version and provides percussion against a bowed bass guitar, 3 tracks of fretless guitar in feedback mode, trap set, orchestral…read more

HYSTERIA
poem by: T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)
As she laughed I was aware of becoming involved
in her laughter and being part of it, until her
teeth were only accidental stars with a talent
for squad-drill. I was drawn in by short gasps…read more

Percussion = Norm
Guitar = Rick
Vox = Emily
Bass = Chris
We started with this
http://alonetone.com/rickph/tracks/a-mile-with-sorrow-normrick
which came from this
http://alonetone.com/norm/tracks/a-mile-with-sorrow
I hope you both…

I'm surprised I forgot to post this collaboration with Norm and Char.
Char performs the reading
Norm performs the percussion
Chris did choir, sax, bass, FXs
Poem - Edgar Allen Poe
Annabel Lee
It was many and many a year ago…read more

There is a small flicker of faith that he will make it through. He has found himself in the market place surrounded by people, looking for compassion. There is none. He feels invisible, centered on his own problems but that small flicker of faith…read more

I heard this by Norm and it got me thinking about an idea of an old friend who turns up in need, its a surprise , you haven't even thought of him in the last six months and here he is what do you do?............

I think I bit off more than I could actually chew this time and I apologize to Norm and Reg about that. This is a setting of verses from Contemporary English Bible Version of Daniel Chapter 6. I donâ€™t think I orchestrated as much drama from…read more

Aw, we tried to make this a bit more pro, but sometimes the really fun moments in life are fleeting. So here it is warts and all. But don't mind that - just get out onto the dance floor with Reg! It's ok: he's up to date on his shots.
When…read more

This was going to be a re-make of Dancing on my own but reg was too busy to participate so i have used Norms percussion track and got Chris Vaisvil to bass it up and i have added a vocal creating something new. Reg has had a lot of trouble with…read more

Reg took a collaboration from Chris Vaisvil, Norm and threw it into the cellar last night and this is what was returned through Regs door this morning...... a tale from the old wild west.........................

Norm has been teaching a master's class in percussion and gave me (a lot!!) of guidance to try to add bass properly to this. I added 5 string bass, Fender Mustang and GR-20 sax to his excellent Tumbao track. We hope you enjoy it.

Fisherman and the Siren by Lord Frederic Leighton
This is a blues collaboration between The TwoRegs (vocals / lyrics) and Norm Harris (percussion) and myself (17 note per octave electric guitar and fretless bass).
We hope you enjoy it…read more

Another one from the collaboration of Chris Vaisvil, Norm and thetworegs from the album Women and Whisky together ain't no good. We hope you enjoy......................
Reg created the lyrics, vocal melody, and sang
Norm composed and played…read more

This is a musical setting of Bruce Andrewâ€™s poem â€œjjjâ€ from his book â€œMoebiusâ€ thanks to PennSound archive.
To create the music I hijacked Norm Harrisâ€™ Y Class Steam Locomotive Bell sample and his percussion piece Ilesa and added…read more

One of my early collaborations with Norm.
Down by the riverside
Where all of the fish had died
I threw my faith right in
When I saw it, it was sinking
Oh donâ€™t you go
Donâ€™t you even dare
Donâ€™t run away until youâ€™ve heard…read more

This is a recording of Norm and me playing together a few months ago. I didnt have any percussion instruments so Norm was on a Roland electric trap set and I had a cello. I looped some of the stuff we did that night, and retrofitted the rest…read more

Chris sent this track to me earlier today with the request that I add some percussion to it.
I had something different in mind.
After the first take I was afraid to return it to him, fearing that he would convert it to 23 edo or something…read more

We forgot to mention that Reg visited Norm's place a little later and added some vocals. The video is a ride through the US state of Virginia. The Texas Tavern serves cheesy westerns (cheese, fried egg, burger, bun) in the downtown of Roanoke Va.

Year: 2009
Album:
serenity
Artist's description:
A tune put together by us for you
bass, rhodes, organ pad, drums, guitar, glockenspiel, bata, quintos, shaker, effects.
The piece is polyrhythmic and polytonal. we suggest you give it a couple…read more

Well Reg couldn't end on a bad note tonight not after listening to Norms new track so here's a lovey dovey one to end the night in the hope that Reg can find true love ....it is possible isn't it?........Thanks Norm

I was thumbing a ride along a hot, deserted Caribbean road. When Steve pulled up in this vintage pre-war Chevy, I was very grateful. It just so happened he was heading to the same cantina I was, so we kicked back with a pitcher of mojitos…read more

Texas hold em poker, and going for it all. Open mic acoustic with some alt tuning. Percussion by Norm.
The kokiriko? Norms playing in there actually sounds like shuffling cards- particularly loving the glockenspiel addition he did…read more

Rather, it includes Norm's excellent track Pilón For A New Son (http://alonetone.com/norm/tracks/piln-for-a-new-son). Was trying to find out how less I can get away with in rhythms while still having enough flow. Feedback welcomed :)

I Can't Seem To Find My Way Home
Featuring Norm on Percussion Track: "Pilón For A New Son"
http://alonetone.com/norm/tracks/piln-for-a-new-son
Lyrics:
Searching for something
I wonder and roam
Hoping the truth
Soon will be shown…read more

I've been really into soundtracks for the past few days, especially those for action games and the notion of having a static, subtle track run over unpredictable game actions and still making the whole thing work.
So this was made with that…read more

I went over to Reg's place the other day and he sort of scared me. He was out on his deck, pitching butts and spilling gin that he couldn't afford. He was a mess and had a crazed look in his eyes. I could tell he was ruminating again about…read more

This is an invitation, with instructions, on how any AT musician can hop a train in the US and get to my house for a jam session. Figured the lyrics needed to mention all 3 of the collaborating musicians home towns cuz they all run along these…read more

Music: Vaisvil
Vocals/Lyrics: TheTwoRegs
Percussion: Norm
DEMOCRACY
If I could ask for some calm please!
Can everybody just settle down calm down please?
You must vote to separate the wheat from the chaff.
The wheat from the…read more